SETTLE'S FEMALE PRELATE, OR POPE JOAN; A TRAGEDY.
I have not seen it anywhere noticed that this play, printed under Elkanah Settle's name, with a long dedication by him to the Earl of Shaftsbury, in 1680, 4to., was certainly a mere alteration of an old play on the same subject. It is impossible for any one to read many pages of it, without seeing everywhere traces of a much more powerful hand than "poor Elkanah's," although he needed no assistance in managing the ceremony of pope-burning. Take at random the following quotation, which is much more like Middleton's or Decker's than the debased style after the Restoration:
"Saxony. And art thou then in earnest?
Come, prithee, speak: I was to blame to chide thee;
Be not afraid; speak but the fatal truth,
And by my hopes of heav'n I will forgive thee.
Out with it, come; now wouldst thou tell me all,
But art ashamed to own thyself a bawd:
'Las, that might be thy father's fault, not thine.
Perhaps some honest humble cottage bred thee,
And thy ambitious parents, poorly proud,
For a gay coat made thee a page at court,
And for a plume of feathers sold thy soul;
But 'tis not yet, not yet too late to save it.
Amir. Oh, my sad heart!
Sax. Come, prithee, speak; let but
A true confession plead thy penitence,
And Heaven will then forgive thee as I do.
Amir. But, Sir, can you resolve to lend an ear
To sounds so terrible, so full of fate,
As will not only act a single tragedy,
But even disjoint all Nature's harmony,
And quite untune the world? for such, such are
The notes that I must breathe.
Sax. Oh, my dear murderer,
Breathe 'em as cheerfully as the soaring lark
Wakes the gay morn. Those dear sweet airs that kill me
Are my new nuptial songs. My Angeline
Has been my first, and Death's my second bride."
Fem. Prel. p. 58.
Or the following:
"Sax. Carlo, she must die;
The softest heart that yon celestial fire
Could ever animate, must break and die.
We are both too wretched to outlive this day;
And I but send thee as her executioner.
Carlo. I flie to obey you, Sir.
Sax. Stay, Carlo, stay;
Why all this haste to murder so much innocence?
Yet, thou must go. And since thy tongue must kill
The brightest form th' enamoured stars can e'er
Receive, or the impoverisht world can lose.
Go, Carlo, go; but prithee wound her soul
As gently as thou canst; and when thou seest
A flowing shower from her twin-orbs of light
All drown the faded roses of her cheeks;
When thou beholdst, 'midst her distracted groans,
Her furious hand, that feeble, fair revenger,
Rend all the mangled beauties of her face.
Tear her bright locks, and their dishevell'd pride
On her pale neck, that ravisht whiteness, fall;
Guard, guard thy eyes: for, Carlo, 'tis a sight
Will strike spectators dead."
Fem. Prel. p. 61.
In the Biog. Dram. (vol. iii. p. 237.), it is stated that the same play, with the same title, was printed in 4to., 1689, except that it was there said to be written by a person of quality. The play is, however, claimed by Settle in his dedication to Lord Shaftsbury, prefixed to the edition of 1680, now before me. I do not, however, believe he had more to do with it than in adapting it, as he did Philastes, for representation. The only question seems to be by whom the original play was written? This I will not at present attempt to decide, though I entertain a strong opinion on the subject, but will leave it to be resolved by the critical acumen of your readers.
JAS. CROSSLEY.
HISTORICAL BIBLIOGRAPHY.
(Eustache le Noble.)
Having been favoured by Mr. Gancia, of 73. King's Road, Brighton, with an opportunity of examining the following work, I venture to send you a notice of its contents, with some account of the author. Such books have, I conceive, their utility to historians and historical readers. We gain through them an accurate idea of party spirit, are brought into more immediate communion with the opinions of the times to which they refer, and can thus trace more closely the means by which parties worked, were consolidated, and advanced their schemes. Even from their personalities, we gain some gleams of truth. In this case, I am assured that perfect copies of the work are very scarce. I cannot find that any other copy has recently been offered for sale. This appeared to me an additional reason for submitting a notice of it to your readers.
LE PIERRE DE TOUCHE POLITIQUE, OU PASQUINADES.
By Eustache le Noble. Rome (Paris), Octobre, 1688; Novembre, 1691. 5 vols. 12mo.
Each of the twenty-eight pieces which compose the work should have an engraved title, and a separate pagination. The place of publication is fictitious, and in general satirical. The first volume has a portrait.
The following is a collation from what is understood to form a perfect copy:
"Tome 1. Rome, chez Francophile Alétophile. Octobre, 1691.
Le Cibisme, Le Songe de Pasquin. Londres, Jean Benn, 1689.
Le Couronnement de Guillemot et de la Reine Guillemette, avec le Sermon du grand Docteur Burnet. Londres, 1689.
Le Festin de Guillemot, 1689.
La Chambre des Comptes d'Innocent XI. Rome, F. Alétophile, 1689, with portrait.
"'These five dialogues have for interlocutors Pasquin and Marforio, under which names the dialogues are sometimes introduced, as also under the title of Pasquinades.' (Quérard, art. Le Noble.)
"Tome 2. Title (no engraved title). Janvier, 1690.
Janvier. La Bibliothèque du Roi Guillemot. Londres, Jean Benn, 1690.
Février. La Fable du Renard. Leyde, 1690.
Mars. La Diète d'Augsbourg. Vienne, Peter Hansgood, 1690.
Avril. La Lotterie de Pasquin. Basle, Eugene Tyrannomostix, 1690.
Mai. L'Ombre de Monmouth. Oxford, James Good King, 1690.
Juin. Les Medaillez, Amsterdam, Eugene Philolethe, 1690.
"Tome 3. Title.
Juillet. La Clef du Cabinet de Neufbourg. Heidelberg, Neopolo Palatino, 1690.
Août. Le Triomphe. Fleuruz, chez Valdekin Bienbattu, 1690.
Septembre. Les Ombres de Schomberg et de Lorraine. Dublin, chez Le Vieux, Belle Montaigne.
Octobre. La Lanterne de Diogène. Whitehall, chez La Veuve Guillemot. 1690.
Novembre. Les Mercures, ou la Tabatière des Etats d'Hollande. Hermstadt, chez Emeric Hospodar, 1690.
Décembre. Le Roy des Fleurs. A Bride, chez Leopol la Dupe.
"Tome 4. Title.
Janvier. Les Estrennes d'Esope ('burnt at Amsterdam, by the hand of the hangman, by order of the States-General. The dialogue had its origin, probably, in the proscription of the History of the Republic of Holland by the same author, which was seized wherever it was found.'—Peignot.). Bruxelles, chez Jean Gobbin, 1691.
Février. L'Ombre du Duc d'Albe, with illustration. Anvers, Antoine Maugouverne, 1691.
Mars. Le Carnaval de la Haye, with illustration. A la Haye, chez Guillaume l'Emballeur, 1691.
Avril. Le Tabouret des Electeurs, with illustration. Honslar dük, Guillemin Tabouret, 1691.
Mai. Le Reveille Matin des Alliez, with illustration. A Monts, Guillaume le Chasseur, 1691.
Juin. Les Lunettes pour le Quinze Vingts. Turin, Jean sans Terre, 1691.
"Tome 5. Title.
Juillet. Nostradamus, ou les Oracles, with illustration. A Liege, Lambert Bonnefoi, 1691.
La Fable du Baudet Extraordinaire, with illustration. A Asnières, chez Jean le Singe, 1691.
Août. L'Anneau des Giges, with illustration. A Venise, Penetrante Penetranti, 1691.
Septembre. L'Avortement, with illustration. Gerpines, chez Guillaume Desloge sur le Quai des Morfondus au Pistolet qui prend un Rat, 1691.
Octobre. Le Jean de Retour, with illustration. A Loo, chez Guillaume Pie de Nez, rue Perdue au Bien Revenu, 1691.
Novembre. Le Prothée, with illustration. Chez Pedre l'Endormy, 1691."
Eustache le Noble, Baron of St. George and of Tenelière, the author of this work, was born at Troyes in 1643, of a good and ancient family. His natural abilities and attainments, combined with political influence, readily obtained for him, at an early age, the post of Procureur-Général to the Parliament at Metz. But a dissolute life soon brought on its consequent evils—duties neglected and discreditable debts—and he was compelled to sell his appointment. The proceeds were insufficient, and he had recourse to forgery to satisfy his creditors. To be successful in such a case, more than ability is required. Le Noble was suspected, arrested, confined in the Châtelet, and condemned to nine years' imprisonment. Upon his appeal, he was removed to the Conciergerie, a place destined to become another scene in his life of uniform villainy. Gabrielle Perreau, known under the name of "La Belle Epicière," was confined here at the instigation of her husband, who indulged in the hope of thus reforming her disorderly conduct. But a prison is hardly a school of reformation, and La Belle Epicière and Le Noble were not characters to receive, even in monastic seclusion, any such impression. He won her affections, or the mastery over her passions: the husband, frantic with jealous rage, obtained for himself the satisfaction of immuring her in a convent of his own selection. From this she escaped, and joined Le Noble, who had similarly evaded the vigilance of his keepers. By living in the vilest and least frequented quarters of Paris, by disguises, false names, and constant changes of residence, they succeeded in baffling the pursuit of the police for three years, when Le Noble was accidentally discovered; the judgment of the Châtelet was confirmed, and he was reconducted to prison. It was then that his great resources were displayed. He retained his gaiety, and assured his friends he still enjoyed "une parfaite tranquillité d'esprit, inséparable de l'innocence!" A man of this kind, with a venal and capacious intellect, and a heart utterly unconscious of the slightest moral feeling, could not with advantage be suffered to remain unemployed. There was work to be done for James II., and the hireling was worthy of his hire. It was simply to lie and libel with ability, with caution, with the appearance of loyalty, and an ardent zeal for religion. Le Noble was equal to the task. He had written histories burnt by the hangman; Bayle had praised him for his skill in judicial astrology; he had composed treatises on money, and on Catholic doctrine; compiled historical romances, and translated the Psalms of David! In poetry he had attempted to rival La Fontaine; written the Eulogy of the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, and translated Persius,—substituting French customs for the Roman, and praising, or censuring, his contemporaries as though he were the Roman poet and not the Paris scribe! An ability so various was at least well paid. He received from the booksellers, and others by whom he was retained, a hundred pistoles a month; Peignot states, in all, about one hundred thousand crowns. There cannot be the least doubt this was but a portion of his earnings, or that the work I have described was not written for the Jacobite interest of James II. But no success in such characters is ever accompanied with prudence. Although the penalty of banishment from France was suspended, that his venal abilities might assist the designs of others, he was always living between luxury and the direst want. As he advanced in years, he was less useful, and was consequently driven from doors where he had formerly been welcomed. D'Argenson allowed him a louis-d'or for charity per week; but all other resources failed, until, in his sixty-eighth year, after a long period of misery, and of the uttermost mental and bodily degradation, he died on the 31st January, 1711, and was buried at the communal expense. It cannot be denied that Le Noble united many pleasing qualities as a writer. He had read much, could condense ably, and united to a strong memory a rare facility in employing its resources. He touched with light ridicule the weaker points of a case, and could wield both reason, sarcasm and polished inuenda in misstating facts, or damaging the argument of his adversaries. Such a man was well adapted to the French advisers of James. Public attention was to be engaged and won by falsehoods in the disguise of truth; bad designs were to be cloaked under moral purposes; and the revolution was to be discredited in the name of loyalty and religion. All this Le Noble did with infinite ability, and infinite obliquity. I can give but a slight sketch of his work. The Couronnement de Guillemot is a violent tirade against William. Marforio and Pasquin converse about his coronation, and the king is described as one "qui vouloit estre le bourreau du Prince de Galles." Churchill is "l'infame comblé de tant de bienfaitz par son bon maître, et qui l'a vendu, trahi et livré." In the decorations of the abbey, consisting of tapestry, &c., there is stated to be a representation of Pilate placing Jesus Christ and Barabbas before the people, and the choice of Barabbas by the latter; James occupying, in Le Noble's opinion, the place of the former. The people he describes as preferring even "ce voleur public, ce scélérat, ce séditieux de Barabbas, ce meurtrier qui a poignardé les Withs (Witts), à cet aimable maistre qui n'a jamais eu pour eux que de la douceur et de la bonté." The Sermon du grand Docteur Burnet is very clever, light, pungent, and satirical, especially against the king: the text being "Dominus regnavit, exultet terræ, lætentur insulæ." In the L'Ombre de Monmouth, William is described as wishing to be "le singe du glorieux Cromwell;" Portland, Shrewsbury, Burnet, and Dykvelt, are "ses quatre Evangélistes;" and the king is made to utter violent complaints against the Parliament, which he calls "une étrange beste," and adds: "Si je n'avois pas cassé celui que j'ai rompu pour en convoquer un autre, toutes mes affaires s'en alloient sens dessus dessous." In the Estrennes d'Esope, which was burnt by order of the States-General, there is the following description of England:
"L'Angleterre sous son Roi légitime et ne lui donnant qu'avec epargne comme elle faisoit le nécessaire pour son entretien, estoit justement comme ces sages et vertueuses femmes qui, fidèles à leurs époux, gouvernen avec un prudent économie leur ménage reglé, et cette mesme Angleterre, qui s'épuise pour satisfaire à l'avidité d'un tyran, est aujourd'hui comme une de ces infames debauchées qui, emportée de fureur pour une adultère qui l'enlève à son mari, lui fait une profusion criminelle de son bien."
In illustrations such as these, Le Noble was most happy, as with the vice he was most familiar. The length of this paper precludes my sending to you a pasquinade, in the epitaph written for Innocent XI., which, considering its purport, is of value as indicating the opinions of the Jacobites against the policy of the Pope. This I will do in another paper.